Juan de Casteñado's report listing all
of the merchant vessels that had docked on the river wharves during the year 1797. The captain of each
vessel paid three pesos into the city treasury for the privilege of anchoring in the port. Of the eighty-six ships
listed, thirty-three had traveled to New Orleans directly from ports in the United States. It was not until late
in the year, however, that the Spanish authorities officially opened the port to trade by U.S. ships. By 1801,
according to historian John G. Clark (New Orleans, 1718-1812: An Economic History), the
percentage of
U.S. ships had risen to 44% from the 38% indicated in the 1797 record.

Spain was at war with England during 1797 and evidence of that conflict is reflected in the entries for
January 31 and February 8, both of which list English vessels that had been captured by French corsairs.
Note also that on February 8 the schooner Amistad was at New Orleans--this was not the same
vessel that
was made famous by the 1839 slave insurrection.
[Miscellaneous French and Spanish Documents, #45]
The original document is badly faded; the item on display is a facsimile